A Cat and Mouse kind of post...

While thinking about, OK perhaps more like dreaming up what my next post would be about - out of the Blue I had a craving for a Chocolate Chip cookie. Might be because I've drastically cut back on sugar, but there it was a undeniable got to have one craving for mega grams of sugar in a cookie. Both John's and my favorite cookie hands down. Fact is Chocolate Chip is America's favorite cookie, 53% of us love them the most. Problem was there was none, nada, zilch in our home. Actually no prepared or packaged sweets at all. But downstairs in our pantry the large Toll house milk chocolate bag of chips was lying in wait. Instantly I knew my post would be a light hearted share of my latest clay creation in play and a show and tell in my kitchen written from my heart.

So who invented our favorite cookie and when? Well back in the 1930's circa 1938 Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the Toll House brand of Chocolate Chip cookies. She and her husband owned the Toll House Inn in Whitman Massachusetts and invented the recipe by accident. Ruth added broken chocolate bar pieces into her cookie batter thinking they would melt ... They didn't. True story and the legacy of my craving. But back then they were the size of a quarter and baked until very crisp. Our favorite cookie is beloved by so many there is even a special day set aside to celebrate, seriously.  Go ahead and mark your calendars May 4th is National Chocolate Chip cookie day. Personally I think it should be called we love Ruth Graves Wakefield day!

Ready to bake? Let's fill this cute empty Cat cookie jar from Anthropologie up with CC's! We prefer them soft from butter and packed with Pecans which is our favorite nut.

Love him! 

I simply follow the tried and true recipe on the back of the package. We prefer milk chocolate chips over the bittersweet and add chopped pecans. We do not eat white sugar so I use turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw).

I buy the best Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla I can find. This batch will be made with Nielsen Massey. The scent of vanilla is heavenly.

First batch about to be baked. Already John's hanging out close to the kitchen. My kitchen stalker today.

For the past 37 years we've been married, without fail every Christmas Eve when the cookie trays are set out after our 7 fish dinner my Mother in Law will say this to me in more or less these words ... "I didn't bake any Chocolate Chip cookies this year, never again, your Johnny used to sniff and hunt them out as a kid. Eating each and every one before Christmas, leaving only empty tins! Then the conversation continues "I can't even look at a Chocolate chip cookie anymore without thinking of him eating them all". Really? Seriously? So I guess M-I-L Annie has tried repeatedly to tell me that I am married to this guy..... 

"Me Cookie Monster. That all there is to it. ME love to eat cookie. Sometimes eat whole, sometimes me chew it".

~Cookie Monster~

Now this quote is also true of John and I'll let Cookie Monster say it in his own words.

"Sometimes Me think what is Friend?"

and then me say,

"Friend is someone to share the last cookie with".

~Cookie Monster~

My kitchen stalker John a.k.a Cookie Monster will have his taste satisfied with this plate of chocolate chip cookies and a cappuccino. Waiting patiently for me to snap a couple photos. 

So the cat has been fed and he is full and I notice John is smiling like a Cheshire Cat. 

When I was young my brother Michael and I would spend countless hours watching cartoons. Cartoons fed my overactive imagination and encouraged my love of cats and mice. My favorite cartoons in order were Tom and Jerry, Sylvester the Cat and Mickey Mouse. They permanently infused my developing creativity in a playful cat and mouse kind of way. Much was learned as a child in the humorous interaction of predatory characters. Even today I delight in memory of the imaginative cartoons of my childhood. In banter during verbal exchanges often imprinted cartoon images are recalled reflecting our life in modern day.

Meet Mr. Charlie Mouse my latest clay creation to celebrate Springtime into Summer blissfully on a swing. He hangs in our bathroom on a faux Magnolia branch. It is the perfect perch to add the unexpected touch of whimsy and help promote a smile.

The silk White Magnolia branch is from Crate and Barrel.

I shaped and carved the swing out of clay. I baked it for 90 minutes and then applied 4 shades of acrylic paints to make it appear rustic, old and as if found by Charlie mouse to make his fun swing. John suggested I snip off loose hair from the jute twine but my reply was I'm leaving it on, it adds to the rustic charm.

Large beads were added to add whimsy and jute twine completes Charlie's swing. 

I twice baked Charlie like a Biscotti cookie to insure extra drying time.

"It's a happy day when the birds fly by and I swing high enough to reach them in the sky".

~Mr. Charlie Mouse~

Diminutive in scale sitting Charlie measures a smidgen over 3 inches.

I'll leave you today with my all time favorite quote and below that is a poem titled Freedom of expression I wrote inspired by it. Disney's quote allows me Carte Blanche to engage in folly. I believe imaginations are fueled by our appreciation in the creative efforts by others. When the clock stroked midnight on New Year's Eve I promised myself 2016 would be my year to tip the scales of play over work. So far so good.

xx,

Vera

"Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever"

~Walt Disney~

A human's imagination remains boundless to magical possibilities occurring each and everyday

It's hindrance from peer pressure that obstructs us and creative thoughts are often lead astray

Imagination is an attribute developed and nurtured during free-spirited engagement in play

Thoughts and ideas forming in ones mind and accumulating together into a wondrous prolific ingenious bouquet

It's only because of harsh judgement from others in our creative efforts we often become afraid to portray...

I invite you to jubilation as you celebrate your talents, but first you need to banish other peoples opinions away.

© Vera

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